The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1887-08-04

For THE PROGRESSIVE F,,u

-o n l hoGRESSIVE FARNEp
We have great reasons to rnio;oo
this year. We have good crons ~
wheat, oats, hay and O bnt Elm
the farmers are not satisfied. Tbor
still grumble /; in fact most of ~
farmers seem to be born grumbIarS
anyway and for some pretty GOOD
reasons, too. Well, let us look ~
some of our grievances, five have oct
any. We have the privilege of hs1nl'
ing our produce to any market We
wish, and sell for Just what the BUYERS
will give. Now when we 90 to the
store for a pair Of shoes and the mar,
chant names the price, should we tell
him it is too much for such an article
he will tell us that it cost him 50 much
and that it is the least he can sell il
for. -
Now if we independent farmers
should tell our buyers that our wheat
or corn cost us so much that we could
not afford to sell at their price, thew
would only laugh at us. Now show
us any other business where there is
so much money invested and such
small returns as there is in farming
We farmers are being feeced everv
year by men who are just as bad as
any three card monte men, or faro
bank. This gambling in grain and
produce is the very worst form Of
gambling, inasmuch as the poor, labor,
ing, honest, economizing farmers are
aeeced with not even having the
knowledge or privilege of holding a
hand in the game of chance.
This we consider one of the great
causes of complaint, and the cause of
the depressed financial condition of
u country just at this time, while
our public treasures are filled to over.
flowing, and our fields grooming with
the weight of luxuriant crops. There
certainly must be something wrong
somewhere, for the design of money
is to regulate the motion of the ele.
ments of human support and happi.
ness, equalizing these among the
masses of the nation; and yet with
the abundance and even superabund.
ance of both money and means Of
human support in our country, many
families are reduced to absolute want
and suffering.
Now when we hear of a mans
downfall on the exchange, we think
that it served him right. We do not
look behind this mans failure and see
that we are the losers as we'll as he.
We can 60 almost anywhere and
hear people preaching against gamb-
ling and gambling saloons, but 1t is
very seldom we hear of the aristocratlc
men on the exchange denounced as
gamblers, because they are in a licensed
business and are considered very re
spectacle men. I say they ought not
to be more favored by the same law
than the lowest gambler in this free
country, as they are sapping the very
life's blood out of every industrious
farmer in this country.
At present there seems to be no
remedy. You have tried the grange
but that fell through, and now some
of you are ashamed to W thai
you ever belonged to such an
institution. False pride! AFRAID
of being laughed at is Oh
the greatest faults of the farmers.
We have been beaten once, but why
be discouraged? Gather yourselves
together and try again. | believe IL
the gathering Of farmers and think
they ought to be utilized in organizing
so as to protect themselves. Farmers
have grit, and let them show 1t, anu
take q stand in the right direction
even if you are laughed at. Remem
Der that he who laughs last, laqgh0
the longest. T. B. L.
~ F~